Where to Find Sumac and Red Pepper Flakes in America (State by State Guide)

When I first came to America, the hardest thing was making Turkish food. You can find everything at the supermarket, but when your "everything" list includes sumac, pul biber, biber salcasi, tarhana, and duru bulgur, you realize you can only make "food." Making Turkish food is a different thing entirely.

I did years of trial and error. Now I know what you can get, where to find it, and how much you will pay. Let me go through it one by one.

Essential Spices: Sumac, Pul Biber, Dried Mint

If you cannot find these three, half of Turkish cooking is off the table. Luckily they are all on Amazon and the prices are reasonable.

Sumac: I use the Z&Z brand, it is good. About 10 dollars for 100 grams. For salads, next to kofte, to add a little color to pilav. That sour touch you cannot explain to Americans but never need to explain to Turks.

View on Amazon: Sumac (Z&Z, Ground Sumac) →

Pul biber: Isot and Urfa biber are different things, just so you know. Isot is darker, less smoky, a little sweet. Urfa biber is also isot. You can get it from the Eastanbul brand, reliable.

View on Amazon: Eastanbul Urfa Biber / Isot (5.6oz) →

Dried mint: You can find it at any supermarket but they usually charge 4 dollars for 3 grams. On Amazon, Adonis brand, 100 grams for 8 dollars. The math is simple.

View on Amazon: Adonis Dried Mint (100g) →

Biber Salcasi: Both Sweet and Hot

How many Turkish dishes can you make without biber salcasi? Let me count: menemen, kofteler, pilav dishes, mercimek corbasi, yaprak sarma, biber dolma... So basically none.

You can find Oncu brand hot and sweet biber salcasi on Amazon. 700 gram jar. The price looks expensive in dollars but when you compare it to prices in Turkey, it actually makes sense.

View on Amazon: Oncu Hot Pepper Paste (700g) →

View on Amazon: Oncu Pepper Paste (Sweet) →

Tomato Paste

Yes, domates salcasi is also on Amazon. Practical if you are a big family or if there is no Turkish grocery store in your state.

View on Amazon: Tomato Paste →

Bulgur: Which Type?

American supermarkets sell "bulgur" but it is usually fine bulgur, not good for pilav. Duru brand coarse bulgur is available on Amazon, 1 kilogram. I am a serious bulgur pilavi person. When I made it on dark winter days in New Hampshire, the whole house smelled like a Turkish home.

View on Amazon: Duru Coarse Bulgur (1 kg) →

Red Lentils

Red lentil soup is a survival tool. When you are sick, when you have no energy, when the budget is tight. Reis brand Turkish red lentils are on Amazon, big package, around 15 dollars.

View on Amazon: Reis Red Lentils (Turkish) →

Pomegranate Molasses and Tahin-Pekmez

Nar eksisi is a must for arugula salad. I use the Tamek brand, consistent quality.

View on Amazon: Tamek Pomegranate Molasses (13.4 oz) →

For the tahin-pekmez situation, Seyidoglu has a ready mix with both tahin and grape pekmez together. Ideal for breakfast.

View on Amazon: Seyidoglu Tahin with Pekmez (740g) →

If you just want grape pekmez by itself, there is Koska:

View on Amazon: Koska Grape Pekmez (700g) →

Olive Oil: Turkish Brands

American supermarkets already have good olive oil, but as someone who knows the difference that comes from Aegean olive oil: there is a difference. You notice it especially in cold dishes, when you dip bread in it.

Kirlangic brand Turkish olive oil is available on Amazon. 750 ml, between 15-25 dollars. There is also the award-winning Zeytin brand early harvest olive oil:

View on Amazon: Kirlangic Olive Oil (750ml) →

View on Amazon: Zeytin Early Harvest Olive Oil (Award-Winning) →

View on Amazon: Premium Turkish Aegean Olive Oil (2 Liter Tin) →

For those buying the tin: the 2 liter tin is both economical and stores well for a long time in the pantry.

Tea and Coffee Equipment: Where to Find Them?

Turkish cay is not something you can get outside. Tea brewing equipment does not exist in American kitchens either, not the double teapot set, not the electric tea maker. Both are on Amazon.

A simple stainless steel teapot set from Karaca brand is available, around 70-80 dollars. For those who want electric, Ethniq TeaVibe or SAKI samovar are more practical:

View on Amazon: Karaca Teapot Set (Stainless Steel) →

View on Amazon: Ethniq TeaVibe Electric Tea Maker →

View on Amazon: SAKI Chaiovar Electric Samovar (4L) →

You cannot do it without a tea glass set. Pasabahce ince belli tea glasses are on Amazon:

View on Amazon: Pasabahce Ince Belli Tea Glass (Set of 6) →

For Turkish coffee, the cezve problem is similar. For those who want a copper cezve:

View on Amazon: Copper Cezve →

Electric Turkish coffee maker: Arzum Okka or Beko. Both are available on Amazon, both work well. Beko looks a little more modern.

View on Amazon: Arzum Okka Minio (Turkish Coffee Maker) →

View on Amazon: Beko Turkish Coffee Maker →

Turkish Tea: Brand Selection

Caykur is the standard. Rize Turist is the most common. You can find it in America, both on Amazon and at some Turkish grocery stores:

View on Amazon: Caykur Rize Turist (500g) →

View on Amazon: Caykur Altinbas Classic Black Tea (17.5 oz) →

Cities with Turkish Grocery Stores vs. Amazon

If you are in states with a large Turkish population like New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Texas, or California, there is probably a physical Turkish grocery store. Try searching "Turkish grocery store [your city]" on Google.

Outside of those, like New Hampshire, Amazon becomes the way to go. If you have Prime membership, it saves you a surprising amount of time. If you do not have Prime, it is still cheap when you spread it over the year.

Comparison: Grocery Store or Amazon?

For those buying from a Turkish grocery store, the unit price is usually lower. But when you add gas cost, travel time, and the energy cost of "going to the store" on top, Amazon starts to make sense. If you can buy in bulk and stock up, the grocery store is better. If you are buying small amounts, Amazon is more comfortable.

I use both. I buy stock items (olive oil, biber salcasi, bulgur) in bulk from Amazon. Fresh items, meat products, and things from the refrigerated section I get from the store.

A Note: Simit, Sucuk, Cheese

Simit is on Amazon (Gulluoglu, daily shipment from Istanbul, 8 pieces for about 30 dollars). Expensive, but for that priceless moment when you just need it: sometimes you need it.

View on Amazon: Gulluoglu Simit (8 pieces, from Istanbul) →

For sucuk, Cumhuriyet Sucuk is on Amazon:

View on Amazon: Cumhuriyet Sucuk →

For beyaz peynir, Sutas is available on Amazon and the price is reasonable:

View on Amazon: Sutas White Cheese →

To complete the breakfast, jams are also on Amazon, Turkish fig and rose jam:

View on Amazon: Tamek Rose Jam (380g) →

View on Amazon: Zarrin Fig Jam (400g) →

Making Turkish food abroad is not about nostalgia, it is a skill. Access to ingredients is the problem, but there are solutions. I hope this list saves you a few rounds of trial and error.